Window regulator



Nov. 13, 1934. J H. ROETHEL 1,980,501

' .WINDOW REGULATOR Filed April 25, 1932 INVENTOR Jofirr H. float/ml.

' ATTORN Y6.

Patented Nov. 13, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 13 Claims.

This invention relates to window regulators or controlling mechanisms for windows, especially adapted for installation and use in the bodies or doors of automobiles, an object of the invention being to provide an improved and simplified construction which will be more economical to manufacture and more efficient in use and in operation.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved and more efficient means for releasably locking the window in predetermined position, and particularly to provide a device for this purpose which may be embodied in various types of regulators.

Another object is to provide a window regulator of either the single or plural arm type having a releasable locking mechanism of relatively simplified construction which is controlled by one of the glass elevating arms and the gear which actuates-the arm.

Other objects of this invention will appear in the following description and appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary front elevation illus trating a window regulator embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation, partly in section, taken through lines 2-2 of Fig. 1 in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken through lines 3-3 of Fig. 1 in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view illustrating the locking mechanism.

Before explaining in detail the present invention it is to be understood that the invention is 0 not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawing, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, and it is not intended to limit the invention claimed herein beyond the requirements of the prior art.

Referring to the drawing wherein I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention as applied to a window regulator of the single arm type for use in an automobile body, the

structure preferably comprises a suitable metal supporting plate 9 provided with screw holes 10 to permit the supporting plate to be attached within the body or door of the vehicle. In the present instance this supporting plate 9 is stamped at 11 to provide a bearing for a rotatable stud 12. Attached to this stud at one face of the supporting plate 9 is a swinging arm 13. The outer end of this arm, in the case of a single arm regulator, may be provided with the usual bearing button which connects to the channel at the lower edge of the window glass, so that swinging movement of the arm results in raising or lowering the glass.

The support 9 is also stamped, as at 14, to produce what is for convenience herein termed a brake drum having a, peripheral brake contacting face 15 which is concentric with the axis of oscillation 12 of the arm 13.

Loosely mounted on the stud 12 is a gear sector 16 provided with the usual teeth 16!]. adapted to mesh with the teeth of a pinion 1'7, this pinion being secured to a shaft 18. It will be understood that the usual crank handle is mounted on the squared end of the shaft so that by turning the handle the pinion 17 will be rotated so as to rotate the gear 16.

In the present form of the invention the arm 13 is driven from the gear 16 through the medium of a pin and slot connection, comprising a driving pin 19 riveted to the gear 16 and projecting through an aperture 20 in the arm 13, this aperture being of larger diameter or width than the pin so as to provide a degree of lost motion between the parts.

The present invention provides a locking mechanism in the form of a friction brake acting on the peripheral surface 15 of the drum. This locking mechanism, as herein illustrated, comprises a pair of pivoted brake members or dogs 21 and 22 carried by the window operating arm 13. The brake member 21 is pivoted on a stud 23 and the brake member 22 is in like manner pivoted on a stud 24. These arms are guided and held in place by means of a plate 25, and the parts are held together by riveting the opposite ends of the pins 23 and 24 to the opposite faces of the plate 25 and arm 13. The brake members or dogs are yieldingly held substantially in the position illustrated in Fig. 1 by means of a spring loop 26 one end of which is anchored at 27 in a notch in the upper edge of the shoe 21 and the opposite end anchored in a notch 28 in the lower edge of the shoe 22. The brake shoes or dogs are provided with notched or cut away parts 29 and 30 respectively which are located at diametrically opposite sides of the driving pin 19. Normally the notched parts 29 and 30 of the dogs closely embrace the driving pin and project partly over the aperture 20, and the dogs are urged into this position by the tension of the spring 26.

The end faces of the dogs 21 and 22 may be serrated, if desired, so as to improve their frictional contact with the face of the drum 15.

From the foregoing it will be observed that the swinging arm 13, which is connected to the window glass, is indirectly driven by the gear 16 through the driving pin 19 and slot or aperture 20. Assuming that the gear is rotated so as to swing the arm 13 upwardly, as shown by the arrows in Fig. 4, then the pin 19 will move upwardly in the aperture 20 and move the brake shoe 21 out of binding engagement with the drum. Only a slight movement is necessary and hence only a small lost motion is required between the driving pin and the opening. Continued rotation of the gear will cause the driving pin to engage the upper edge of the opening 20 and carry the arm 13 upwardly in accordance with the movement of the gear. During this operation the brake shoe 22 will follow the contour of the drum and will have no retarding action. The

reverse operation takes place upon turning the gear in the opposite direction.

On the other hand if it is attempted to lower or raise the window glass without operating the crank handle secured to the shaft 18, that is, if it is attempted to turn the gear 16 by applying power in either direction to the arm 13, it will be seen that one or the other of the dogs 21 and 22, through the influence of the spring, will immediately bind against the face of the drum 15. This will be readily understood for the reason that any attempted independent movement of the arm and hence the opening 20 relative to the driving pin 19 will simply result in one of the dogs binding against the face of the drum 15. Thus the window glass will be locked at all times against independent movement and will be immovable except when the gearing is operated from the shaft 18 by the operator within the automobile or vehicle.

The weight of the window, glass is counterbalanced in the usual manner by means of a coil spring 31 having one end attached to a stud 32 fastened to the supporting plate 9 and the other end anchored at 33 in a slot in the end of the stud 12. It will be noted that the embossing of the supporting plate to form the drum portion is carried up around and above the point of supportof the shaft 18 as shown at 15a. The supporting plate is formed in a single die stamping operation and in so doing is provided at 34 with a bearing for the inner end of the shaft 18. The pinion 1'7 is held in place by means of a retainer plate 35 riveted at 36 to the supporting plate 9 and having a portion overlying the gear sector 16 so as to maintain the same in alignment with the pinion. v

In the present instance I have illustrated, by way of example, one form of the invention as applied'to a so-called single arm regulator. It is understood thatthe invention-is not limited by this illustration. It is further understood that the same locking structure herein shown may be embodied in the parallel arm regulator illustrated, for instance in my copending application, Serial No. 556,414, such modification being contemplated by my present application.

Iclaimz I f j I g '1. In a window regulator, the combination of a support, a gear carried thereby, a swinging arm, a driving connection between the gear and arm, and releasable locking means for the arm controlled by said driving connection.

2. In a window regulator, the combination of a support, a gear and a swinging arm carried thereby, a driving connection between the gear and arm remote from the axis of rotation of the gear, and a movable locking member frictionally engaging a portion of said support and controlled by said driving connection.

3. In a window regulator, the combination of a support, a gear and a swinging arm carried thereby, a driving connection between the gear and arm remote from the axis of rotation of the gear, and a pair of oppositely movable locking members adapted to frictionally engage a portion of said support, each of said members acting to lock the arm when the latter is moved in one direction, and both members controlled by said driving connection.

4. A window regulator comprising a support, a gear rotatable thereon, a swinging arm connected to a window glass for raising and lowering the same, a lost motion driving connection between the gear and arm including a pin carried by one and an aperture in the other, and a pivoted dog normally overlying said aperture and frictionally engageable with a portion of the support, said dog being moved out of frictional engagement with said portion during lost motion of the pin within the aperture when the gear is rotated.

5. A window regulator comprising a support, a gear rotatable thereon, a swinging arm connected to a window glass for raising and lowering'the same, a lost motion driving connection between the gear and arm including a pin carried by one and an aperture in the other, and a spring pressed pivoted dog normally overlying said aperture and frictionally engageable with a portion of the support, said dog being moved out of frictional engagement with said portion during lost motion of the pin within the aperture when the gear is rotated.

6. A window regulator comprising a support, a gear rotatable thereon, a swinging arm connected to a window glass for raising and lowering the same, a lost motion driving connection between the gear and arm including a pin carried by said gear and an aperture in the arm, and a dog pivoted to said arm and partly overlying said aperture, said dog engaging a portion of said support and being disengaged from said portion by movement of the pin in said aperture.

7. In a window regulator, the combination of a support, a gear rotatable thereon, a swinging arm adapted to be connected to a window, a drum portion formed in the support and having an annular portion concentric with the axis of turning of the arm, a pair of dogs pivoted to the arm and frictionally engageable with said annular portion, and a driving connection between the gear and arm for releasing said dogs one at a time upon turning the gear in one or the other direction.

8. In a window regulator, the combination of a support, a. gear rotatablethereon, a swinging gear rotatable thereon, a arm con-- nected to a window glass for raising or lowering the same, a lost motion driving connection between the gear and arm, a movable locking device for locking the arm against movement, said driving connection having a portion thereof engaging said device to release it during lost motion.

11.- In a window regulator, a support, a rotatable gear mounted on the support, a swinging arm pivoted on the support at the axis of rotation of said gear, a lost motion driving connection between the gear and arm, and releasable locking means between the arm and support and adapted to be released upon lost motion or the gear.

12. In a window regulator, the combination of a support, a rotatable gear, a. swinging arm adapted to be'conn'ected to awindow for raising and lowering the same, and locking means carried by the arm adapted to become frictionally wedged between portions of the arm and support for looking the arm against movement in all angular positions thereof, said gear having means for releasing said locking means.

13. In a window..regu1ator, the combination of a support, a rotatable gear, a swinging arm adapted to be connected to a window for opening or closing the same, a lost motion driving connection between the gear and arm, oppositely working locking means adapted to become frictionally wedged between portions of the arm and support for locking the arm and adapted to be released upon lost motion movement of said gear.

JOHN H. ROETHEL. 

